Why BusinessObjects Users Should Go To SAPPHIRENOW, SAPTechEd

It’s now been more than five years since the acquisition of Business Objects by SAP was announced, but I still get the impression that some BusinessObjects customers are reluctant to come to SAPPHIRENOW and SAPTechEd because they think it’s all about ERP applications.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As SAP CMO Jonathan Becher pointed out recently, back-office ERP now makes up less than a third of SAP’s revenue, and SAP has been experiencing triple-digit growth in analytics, mobile, cloud, and database technology.

I’ve been to a lot of BusinessObjects user conferences over the last twenty years, and I very much enjoyed the latest SAP BusinessObjects User Conference (SBOUC) in Orlando. But if you’re not even considering attending the next SAPPHIRENOW or SAP TechEd in your region, I think you’re missing out – and we’re missing out by not having you there!

As a proud European, I’d particularly encourage you to come to SAPPHIRENOW and SAPTechEd in Madrid, November 13-16th. Here are some of the key reasons I think it would be worth your while:

Analytics in your industry and line of business. Unlike most national user conferences, SAPPHIRENOW Madrid brings together experts from all the industries and lines of business that SAP covers. Click the “sample agendas” tab on this page to see what kinds of analytics, database, and in-memory sessions you might be interested in.

Understand the bigger picture. According to Gartner, the number one technology priority for CIOs in 2012 is analytics, but that it’s only part of what they call the “nexus of forces”, which also including mobile, cloud and collaboration. If you really want to understand the next generation of analytics, Madrid is a great place to find out. Hang out with deep database and mobility experts from Sybase, or cloud and collaboration experts from SuccessFactors.

Deep technology workshops. I know from the user conference feedback forms that there’s a near-insatiable desire for ever more deep technology information about the BusinessObjects tools. SAP TechEd delivers, with not just presentations, but also workshop and interactive sessions by and for experts. Bonus: unlike in the US, you don’t have to choose between business and technical sessions – your SAP TechEd registration covers all SAPPHIRENOW content, too. Finally, if you enjoyed the Developer Wars session at SBOUC you’ll love SAP InnoJam and DemoJam!

European-wide view. Meet and talk to your analytics peers across Europe. In my experience, BusinessObjects customers across Europe have a lot in common (similar business cultures, regulatory frameworks, etc.) – but that they don’t always have much visibility on what’s going on just the other side of the border. This is your opportunity to find out what your counterparts are doing, and bring back best practice.

And two more bonus reasons:

It’s Madrid! OK, so it’s November, but we can still expect better weather than most of Europe (average highs of 15°C) and it’s la buena vida! Tapas, Sangria, Rioja…

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I am an Innovation Evangelist for SAP. This blog only contains my personal views, thoughts and opinions. It is not endorsed by SAP nor does it constitute any official communication of SAP. You should follow me on Twitter and Subscribe by email